Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Devaluation: Sweet Spots

This post is the first of 2 parts. First, we’ll talk about what’s going to happen to Cathay Pacific miles after 6.22.18 and compare it to the currentstate of affairs.

In the next post, we’ll discuss what you can do with your stash of Cathay Pacific miles if you book before 6.22.18 (hint: a lot!).

Look, here are a few things you need to know about my perception of any changes in frequent flyer award programs.

I don’t care about earning miles with paid flights

I don’t care about using miles for upgrades

I don’t care about any redemption values above the lowest Saver levels

I don’t write about things I couldn’t care less about on my blog

So yes, the earning side of the Asia Miles program is getting better. And yes, I could analyze it to death, and create my own funny charts and show you how it’s not all bad, and talk about redeeming awards with new rip-off levels, but why? If you use Cathay Pacific for business travel, do your own math and decide if you want to keep crediting your miles to Cathay Pacific. My concern is redemption, so let’s get right to it.

Asia Miles Devaluation: Short Version

Most North America-based travelers interested in long-haul flights above Economy will lose.

Since Cathay Pacific announced the devaluation of its Asia Miles program, I’ve been looking for some sweet spots for the new chart. Please keep in mind that we still don’t know everything, since Cathay Pacific has not released the changes for the non-oneworld airline partners, and that’s a huge segment. Here are Cathay Pacific Asia Miles non-oneworld partners for a quick reference:

Aer Lingus

Air Canada

Air China

Air New Zealand

Alaska Airlines

Austrian Airlines

Bangkok Airways

Gulf Air

Jet Airways

Shenzhen Airlines

SWISS International Air Lines

While we can’t say for sure how the chart with the non-oneworld airlines will change – based on what we already know, you’d have to be a hopeless optimist to expect it will change for the better.

And one more thing: the Mixed Airlines Chart is going to be slaughtered after June 22. No more using Cathay Pacific with a partner airline. That’s a huge cut, as well.

That’s not to say there are no sweet spots in the new Cathay Pacific award charts (and I’ll tell you about what I’ve managed to find), but these sweet spots are on the fringes.

Most of us (me included) who want to fly long-haul in premium classes should get rid of our Cathay Pacific miles before June 22, 2018.

Asia Miles Devaluation: Long Version

Cathay Pacific/Cathay Dragon Standard Chart

It’s virtually impossible to show you the real picture because by focusing on one way travel, Cathay Pacific is trying to obscure how they have raised round trip levels, and if that wasn’t enough, the distance bands have changed too.

Here is what’s going to happen: for long hauls, one-way levels mostly stay the same or, sometimes, go down. For round-trip travel, it’s a mix.

Currently, Cathay Pacific prices round trip redemptions at a “discount.” That means that one-way flights, while allowed, always cost more than 50% of round trips.

If your travel pattern is booking one-way flights, keep your miles and don’t do anything – your redemption levels will mostly stay the same or might get better.

For short-haul round trips, things are getting interesting.

Short Hauls

As I’ve mentioned before, the new and old distance bands do not correspond. Compare:

The current Asia Miles chart has 7 distance bands

The new Asia Miles chart will have 5 bands

Award Travel did a great job creating a nice Before and After table. It’s not perfect, but I don’t know how it would be possible to create a perfect visual aid without some complex infographics. Check it out to better understand what you’re losing and gaining.

JFK — YVR

Although it’s not one of the examples above, there is one sweet spot that should jump right at you when you think of the new chart.

New York to Vancouver in Economy will cost 10,000 miles per one way and 20,000 per round trip after June 22

The distance between New York and Vancouver is 2,449 miles. If you are planning this trip in Economy, wait for June 22. It will cost 20,000 miles per round trip (currently 30,000) or 10,000 per one way (currently 20,000). This rate is very competitive, too, since most other programs will charge you 25,000 miles or more (American charges 30,000).

A Business Class ticket in this band won’t change — it’ll still be 50,000 miles — but if you want to experience this 5.5-hour flight in First, book now because after June 22 it will cost you 80,000 compared to 70,000 miles.

HKG Sweet Spots

You will also save 10,000 miles (20,000 instead of 30,000 per round trip) for a flight between Hong Kong and Colombo, Sri Lanka. This will be quite a decent redemption in Economy for an add-on Hong Kong round trip flight.

Or you could fly between Hong Kong and Mumbai and save even more.

A flight between Hong Kong and Bombay will only cost 20,000 miles — a huge reduction from 45,000 you’d pay now

Since the distance between Hong Kong and Mumbai is 2,658 miles, you currently pay 45,000 miles for an award seat in Economy. After June 22, you will pay 20,000 miles — a huge, 55% reduction.

Your sweetest spot on the chart would be the distance between 2,500 and 2,750 miles. A flight like that will get you the biggest gain. Unfortunately, I didn’t find huge reductions other than Mumbai, but you might have a better luck.

That’s not it, though. There are a few Fifth Freedom Cathay Pacific routes, too. I explained more about Fifth Freedom flightshere and here. The JFK – YVR fifth freedom route is the most celebrated, but there are more.

From Taipei (and back):

TPE – ICN

TPE – NRT

TPE – NGO

TPE – KIX

From Singapore:

SIN – BKK (and vice versa)

Since you’re allowed 2 stopovers and an open jaw for round-trip travel, you could fly from Hong Kong to Bangkok and make a stopover in Singapore – all for 20,000 Asia Miles in Economy.

Or you could fly from Hong Kong to Tokyo with a stopover in Taipei, take a train to Osaka, explore Kyoto and Nara, and fly back to Hong Kong either directly or via Taipei.

Read the new routing rules here; don’t worry, they’re every bit as arcane as the old ones. 🙂

If you’re based in Hong Kong, a 2,750-mile radius covers all Asia, including Japan and China (except for some former Soviet republics where Cathay Pacific doesn’t fly anyway) plus most of the Indian subcontinent. If this works for your travel patterns, you’re going to be fine — and in some cases, even better than before. No need to get rid of Asia Miles now.

Once again, the new Standard Chart will only allow you to travel on Cathay Pacific and/or Cathay Dragon.

Long Hauls

Some of these are getting better in Economy. And, by the way, when I’m talking about long and ultra-long hauls, I’m interested in transcontinental flights, just so it’s clear.

Cathay Pacific flies to 8 North American Cities: New York (JFK and EWR), Boston, Washington DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto, and Vancouver.

While a 6,000-mile discount can feel like a good deal, may I suggest that using Asia Miles to fly ultra-long hauls in Economy is not a great idea to begin with? Compare this “enhanced” rate with what the U.S. airlines charge for flights to Hong Kong (round trip).

American: 65,000 – 70,000 miles

Delta: 70,000 miles

United: 80,000 miles

If you fly to Hong Kong from the West Coast, there are no changes in Economy award levels, which, at 60,000 miles, are competitive compared to the U.S. airlines.

Super Duper Long Hauls

Since band F (10,001+) is going to disappear, it will cost you the same as the old band E (7,500 +) to redeem at the new levels, and that presents some opportunities.

You will be paying (per round trip):

84,000 Asia Miles for Economy

120,000 for Premium Economy

170,000 for Business

250,000 for First

Versus what you’re paying now:

110,000 Asia Miles for Economy

132,000 for Premium Economy

175,000 for Business

260,000 for First

You will find savings in every class, although First Class is moot. Cathay doesn’t fly First to faraway destinations except Europe and the U.S., so you would be paying enormous amount of miles just for a mix of First and Business classes.

The point, however, is that if you are looking at flying to Australia or South Africa, both destinations will cost you less after June 22 than it does now, so it makes perfect sense to wait and save your miles.

oneworld Chart

The oneworld chart gets devalued in all classes, plain and simple. It starts getting worse for distances over 4,000 miles.

oneworld Multi-Carrier Award Chart

(effective from 22 June 2018 onwards)

Award Zone

Distance in Actual Miles

Asia Miles Required

Economy

Business

First

01

0 – 1,000

30,000

55,000

70,000

02

1,001 – 1,500

30,000

60,000

80,000

03

1,501 – 2,000

35,000

65,000

90,000

04

2,001 – 4,000

35,000

70,000

95,000

05

4,001 – 7,500

60,000

90,000

140,000

06

7,501 – 9,000

65,000

100,000

150,000

07

9,001 – 10,000

70,000

110,000

160,000

08

10,001 – 14,000

90,000

135,000

220,000

09

14,001 – 18,000

100,000

155,000

250,000

10

18,001 – 20,000

105,000

165,000

260,000

11

20,001 – 25,000

115,000

185,000

280,000

12

25,001 – 35,000

130,000

210,000

300,000

13

35,001 – 50,000

150,000

240,000

345,000

You also need to remember 2 things about this chart.

Unlike the Standard Chart, you need to count all segments.

You must travel on at least 2 oneworld airlines or 3 with Cathay Pacific.

Unless you consider the levels that haven’t changed a sweet spot, there is nothing to see there.

Partners Chart

As I’ve mentioned before, the partner’s chart will be up only after June 22, 2018, but Cathay Pacific has shared some examples of the future redemption levels with us. From what I can glimpse, things are mostly getting worse in line with other Asia Miles award charts, or – best case scenario – staying the same.

Here are some examples for round-trip travel.

Hong Kong – Sydney in Coach on Qantas: from 45,000 to 50,000 Asia Miles

Hi. My name is Andy Shuman. I'm an avid traveler, a travel and credit writer, and I'm the author of the bestselling Lazy Travelers Handbook series. My message is simple. Every American with good credit can travel for free. Not just cheap, but free! READ MORE